MSP Low-Power Playshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blogThe latest news, tips and design resources for TI’s MSP portfolio of 16-bit and 32-bit low-power microcontrollers.en-USZimbra Community 8Rain on this touch panel parade won’t matterhttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/28/rain-on-this-touch-panel-parade-won-t-matterMon, 28 Nov 2016 12:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:d6aa62a4-65ee-4382-a7fa-bc5b4418235dpradhyum0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669184http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/28/rain-on-this-touch-panel-parade-won-t-matter#comments<p>Capacitive touch panels can be touchy, especially in the rain when a drop of water can look a lot like a fingertip and the swipe of a drying towel can drive lesser microcontrollers (MCUs) crazy.</p>
<p>The problem can be particularly troublesome for applications like electronic locks (e-locks) or an outdoor security panel that might, for example, open and close gates around an apartment complex. In addition to rain, such applications are subject to other harsh conditions like high temperatures and humidity. In some regions, insects and animals like geckos can trigger false touches. And certain installations are sometimes plagued by electrical noise from close by motors.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/water-demo-thumbnail.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/500x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/water-demo-thumbnail.png" alt=" " style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;"></a></p>
<p>About a year ago, a new capacitive touch front end was integrated into the MSP430&trade; FRAM MCUs, creating a one-chip solution for a wide range of capacitive touch applications. These new MCUs integrate <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/msp/peripherals.page?DCMP=epd-mcu-msp-captivate-gen&amp;HQS=captivate#captivate">CapTIvate&trade; touch technology</a> which is ultra-discriminating, so much so that it can sense through a driving rain storm to eliminate false readings. After all, no one wants to stand outside in the rain while the security lock malfunctions.</p>
<p>The heightened sensitivity of CapTIvate touch technology means that system designers can seal the touch panel, electrode sensors and other electronics behind thick glass, translucent plastic or even metal to keep the moisture out and yet still distinguish the difference between a drop of water and an actual finger touch. CapTIvate technology is so sensitive it can measure changes in capacitance as small as 10 femto-Farads while sensing a wide dynamic range of capacitance of up to 300 pico-Farads. Touches can be sensed through glass overlays of 60 mm and plastic up to 25 mm thick. It also features a special guard channel that is able to detect and adjust for changing environmental conditions like rain. A library of touch software modules makes it easy for developers to fine tune their systems to the expected environmental conditions of an application and its locale.</p>
<p><span style="color:#ff9900;">(Please visit the site to view this video)</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ff9900;">&nbsp;</span>Of course, some of these applications, such as e-locks, will be battery-operated, which means low-power consumption is a must. And others, like a security panel close to a motor-driven gate, could be susceptible to electrical noise from power lines or the motor. In both such cases, CapTIvate technology is up to the challenge. MCUs with CapTIvate technology, such as the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2633" class="internal-link folder product" title="Link to Product Folder" target="_blank">MSP430FR2633</a> device, consume as little as one-tenth of the battery power of comparable MCUs, extending the life of a coin cell battery by at least 30 percent. And a memory architecture based on ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) gives designers plenty of space for data logging, such as the entry codes that were used to open a door or gate. FRAM also gives designers greater flexibility since the developer can configure how much space is devoted to program storage and how much to data storage.</p>
<p>As for electrical noise or cross-talk noise from long traces, this capacitive touch technology features a very robust integrator-based charge transfer method for measuring capacitance. Plus, an independent oscillator lets the CapTIvate touch subsystem perform oversampling and frequency hopping to increase the reliability of its measurements. And, because of a 1.5 V low-dropout regulator, the capacitive sensors can be driven at 1.5 V instead of a higher voltage, reducing the electrical noise emissions when compared with other such MCUs. With flying colors, MSP430 MCUs with CapTIvate technology pass all of the requirements of electromagnetic compatibility standards like IEC6100-4-4, IEC6100-4-6 and IEC6100-4-2.</p>
<p>So don&rsquo;t let a little thing like a few drops of water rain on your touch panel parade. Check out CapTIvate technology on MSP430 MCUs at <a href="http://www.ti.com/CapTIvate">www.ti.com/CapTIvate</a><a href="http://www.ti.com/CapTIvate"></a></p>
<p>Additional resources:</p>
<ul>
<li>Download our <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2633" class="internal-link folder product" title="Link to Product Folder" target="_blank">MSP430FR2633</a> Microcontroller CapTIvate Electronic Lock and Keypad Reference Design (<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDM-CAPTIVATE-E-LOCK">TIDM-CAPTIVATE-E-LOCK</a>)</li>
<li>Get started with the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-capt-fr2633">MSP430 CapTIvate MCU Development Kit</a></li>
<li>Learn more about CapTIvate MCUs in this <a href="http://software-dl.ti.com/msp430/msp430_public_sw/mcu/msp430/CapTIvate_Design_Center/latest/exports/docs/users_guide/html/index.html?DCMP=epd-mcu-msp-captivate-gen&amp;HQS=captivatetechguide">technology guide</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669184&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">captivateCapacitive sensingMSP430FR2533MSP430FR2532MSP430FR2632: MSP430FR2633MSP430FR2633Capacitive touchValue line MCUs bring more analog to personal electronic productshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/17/value-line-mcus-bring-more-analog-to-personal-electronic-productsThu, 17 Nov 2016 12:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:e4dc3a78-802d-4144-a42c-ad6d77a4373aShailesh Thakurdesai0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669241http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/17/value-line-mcus-bring-more-analog-to-personal-electronic-products#comments<p>It&rsquo;s tough for consumers these days to figure out the differences among the many personal electronic devices like electric razors and toothbrushes that crowd the shelves of stores or populate the pages of Internet shopping sites.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Electric-shaver.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/300x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Electric-shaver.jpg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>Deciding which to buy often comes down to a quick review of battery life, advanced features, durability, versatility and other qualities. To stand out from the crowd of competitive devices, some manufacturers are turning to new microcontrollers (MCU) that are integrated with all of the resources needed to precisely control the tiny motors at the heart of many personal electronic devices.</p>
<p>Of course, low-power consumption is an absolute requirement, since razors, toothbrushes and the like operate off of a rechargeable battery. Some of these new MCUs, like TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311" class="internal-link folder product" title="Link to Product Folder" target="_blank">MSP430FR2311</a> MCU, integrate a highly capable analog front-end that includes several standard operational amplifiers as well as a super-sensitive low-current transimpedance amplifier (TIA) &ndash; something that is rarely found integrated into a MCU.</p>
<p>Integrating all these resources, as well as an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), keeps power consumption down and the TIA is a real perk in personal electronic devices because a low-leakage TIA will detect extremely low currents flowing from a battery. The MCU can then keep track of the charge remaining in the battery and send this information to a small display so the user will know when it&rsquo;s time to recharge the battery. Still though, advanced features are what will truly distinguish personal electronic devices in a crowded marketplace.</p>
<p>A few devices like the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/msp430fr2111">MSP430FR2311</a> MCU are breaking the mold when it comes to memory architectures and this gives product designers greater flexibility for adding advanced features. Instead of the restrictions that the typical RAM/Flash memory architecture imposes on developers, a unified architecture based solely on ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) allows the developer to decide how much memory to allot to operating software and how much for data logging, for example. As a result, advanced features can be easily designed into new products.</p>
<p>For example, many electric razors differentiate themselves from their competitors on the basis of the closeness of the shave they offer and this is affected by their multiple cutting and shearing elements and movements, all of which must be controlled by the MCU. Some electric toothbrushes include a pressure sensor to tell the user when too much or too little pressure is being applied to the teeth, or to give the user operating options for sensitive teeth or a whitening treatment. Giving developers the memory space they need to add these sorts of advanced features simplifies new product development considerably and the manufacturer is able to focus on one MCU platform upon which a broad range of products can be based. Software-based features can also be added for high-end devices or removed for cost-sensitive models. All models can draw on the same system software base.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Electric-Toothbrush.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/300x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Electric-Toothbrush.jpg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>Higher level of integration for the MCU also reduces the bill of materials (BOM) costs so the end product can offer more &lsquo;bang-for-the-buck,&rsquo; so to speak. After all, when it comes down to two personal electronic devices with similar price tags, consumers will more likely choose the product that offers more features and capabilities.</p>
<p>Additional resources:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get started developing with the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/MSP-EXP430FR2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-istrength-20160816-tf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311 MCU LaunchPad&trade; development kit</a>.</li>
<li>Learn how to meet the low-power challenge for building automation applications in this <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/slay040/slay040.pdf?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-istrength-20160816-wp-fr2311-wwe">white paper</a>.</li>
<li>Enjoyed this topic? Keep reading other related blog posts:
<ul>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/03/22/reach-new-low-power-levels-for-any-sensor-based-design-with-new-msp430fr2311-mcu">Reach new low-power levels for any sensor based design with new MSP430FR2311 MCU</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/25/iot-wearables-and-other-new-applications-create-need-for-super-sensitive-sensors">IoT, wearables and other new applications create need for super-sensitive sensors</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/04/air-quality-monitors-and-smoke-detectors-put-on-a-new-face">Air quality monitors and smoke detectors put on a new face</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/industrial_strength/archive/2016/08/16/smart-buildings-get-smarter-with-ultra-low-power-mcus">Smart buildings get smarter with ultra-low-power MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/18/when-green-meets-the-iot">When green meets the IoT</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/29/health-monitoring-devices-get-a-jolt-from-mcus">Health monitoring devices get a jolt from MCUs</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669241&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">MSP430FR2311 blog seriesMSP430FR2311transimpedance amplifiervalue line MCUsTIAHow to build a smart thermostat using an MCU – 7 steps to make it happen!http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/15/how-to-build-a-smart-thermostat-using-an-mcu-7-steps-to-make-it-happenTue, 15 Nov 2016 12:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:5e59fd91-10b2-41e7-80b6-033ddcef08d7Britta Ruelander0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669226http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/15/how-to-build-a-smart-thermostat-using-an-mcu-7-steps-to-make-it-happen#comments<h4><b><i>Step 1 - A short story on where we come from and where we want to go </i></b></h4>
<p><i>Co-authored by Britta Ruelander and Bhargavi Nisarga, Systems Engineers at TI</i></p>
<p><i></i><b><i>How it all started</i></b></p>
<p>When starting in the <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/msp/overview.page">ultra-low-power microcontroller</a> (MCU) business at TI, just after finishing university, I found that I had a lot of questions regarding the features and functionality of a microcontroller. I started having regular discussions with more experienced colleagues to better understand the MCU functionality and its typical usage. After a while, I realized I could share what I was learning so other MCU newbies may benefit from the information I gathered. And, here I am, joining forces with my colleague to write this blog series!</p>
<p><b><i>Why another smart thermostat blog?</i></b></p>
<p>We wanted to focus on an end-application most people were familiar with, but would want a better understanding of how to implement using an MCU. We picked the smart thermostat end-application as it touches on different levels of detail and complexity, while still addressing basic MCU features and functionality. The basic building blocks of a smart thermostat application include sensing, processing, user-interface and wireless connectivity, and designing these components requires interaction between multiple MCU features <b>Figure 1</b>. The subsequent blog posts as part of this series will walk you through different implementation steps to help you better understand MCU features and how their functionality enables the creation of a smart thermostat.</p>
<p><b><i>Why make a thermostat smart?</i></b></p>
<p>The thermostat is a home or building automation application that automatically regulates temperature, or activates a device when the temperature reaches a certain point. With the emergence of the <a href="http://www.ti.com/iot">Internet of Things (IoT)</a> and network connected devices, a whole new market has opened for smart thermostats. &nbsp;Smart thermostats not only enable remote management and programming via mobile app or web browser, but they also learn and adapt to users&rsquo; daily routine, and provide users with energy consumption data to see usage patterns and make adjustments to significantly save on energy bills.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/8446.building-blocks-of-a-smart-theremostat.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/500x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/8446.building-blocks-of-a-smart-theremostat.png" alt=" "></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="text-align:left;">Figure 1: Building blocks of a smart thermostat</span></p>
<p><b><i>What to expect from the blog series</i></b></p>
<p>In order to implement a smart thermostat, you will need some background on the functionality and options an MCU offers. This series of blog posts will help you get started by covering the important implementation steps on your way to a working smart thermostat.&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>The <b>first</b> blog post (this one) gives an introduction to the topic and provides you with an overview to see the whole picture before getting your hands dirty.</li>
<li>In the heart of a smart thermostat is the sensing and data processing. Can you imagine a thermostat which can&#39;t sense temperature? The <b>second</b> blog post will show you some basics on sensing, realized through external sensors, analog-to-digital converters (ADC), operational amplifiers and timers.</li>
<li>The <b>third </b>blog post will discuss data processing and help you take a look at some helpful MCU tools like the Direct Memory Access (DMA) Controller and hardware multiplier.</li>
<li>The <b>fourth</b> blog post is all about human machine interface (HMI). How can you insert user commands to control or program the thermostat? How to interface to displays so you see collected data?</li>
<li>We called it a &quot;smart&quot; thermostat. But until now we only covered a description of a normal and old-fashioned thermostat. You&#39;ll need two more steps for your thermostat to become smart:&nbsp; First adding connectivity, either wired or wireless. The other &quot;smart factor&quot; is that the smart thermostat behaves, works and adapts to changes on its own. Cool, isn&#39;t it? You&#39;ll learn how to do so in our <b>fifth</b> blog post.</li>
<li>It&#39;s nearly time to wrap it up. You&#39;re close to your goal. But let&#39;s take a look at the underlying MCU systems, the clocking and the energy consumption. Don&#39;t you want your smart thermostat to be an ultra-low power application? And it&#39;s probably time to talk about some environmental monitoring here. So don&#39;t miss our <b>sixth</b> blog post.</li>
<li>Last but not least the <b>seventh</b> post you have been longing for. You made it. You collected the information on &ldquo;How to build a smart thermostat on an MCU.&rdquo; We&#39;ll close the loop and summarize for you. But how would you pick the right MCU? Just read the last post to get an idea on how to differentiate one from another.</li>
</ul>
<p><b><i>Who can benefit from the blog series?</i></b></p>
<p>As mentioned before, this blog series is beneficial to MCU newbies, helping them to get started with MCU projects. So, if you are just starting to develop and dig deeper into MCU topics, you&rsquo;re totally in the right place. Even if you already are an advanced user but wondering &ldquo;How can I add smartness to my application?&rdquo; or &ldquo;How to make my application lower power?&rdquo;, then you&rsquo;re in the right place as well. We will focus on connectivity, low power and smart device operation within the course of this blog series.</p>
<p><b><i>What to take with you</i></b></p>
<p>As a wrap-up, here are the key takeaways of our <b>first </b>blog entry:</p>
<ul>
<li>This blog series intends to provide insight into basic MCU features and functionality.</li>
<li>Smart thermostat is the chosen end-application for the blog series.</li>
<li>The basic building blocks of a smart thermostat include sensing, user interface, power, control and connectivity blocks.</li>
<li>The following six blog posts will provide step-by-step guidelines to implement a smart thermostat using an MCU.</li>
</ul>
<p>And, don&rsquo;t forget to stay tuned for the next part of this series.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669226&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">MCU thermostat blog seriesbuilding automationsmart thermostatmicrocontrollerMSP430 Ultra-Low-Power MCUsMCUs can recognize what you sayhttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/08/mcu-s-can-recognize-what-you-sayTue, 08 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:46834843-8bd3-4923-83cd-15a55faaab88Lorin Netsch4http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669200http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/08/mcu-s-can-recognize-what-you-say#comments<p>In our connected world we are seeing more electronic devices that understand speech. Smartphones, tablets and laptops include apps like Siri or Cortana that let help you search for answers, control the electronics around you and more. While these apps are impressive, they also take a lot of processing power and memory. So it is not a surprising misconception that microcontrollers (MCUs) are just too small to recognize speech.<a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/2022.Speech-recognizer-demo_5F00_2.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/300x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/2022.Speech-recognizer-demo_5F00_2.jpg" width="188" height="262" style="float:right;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>It is true that the low-power and small size goals of an MCU may not allow it to understand everything someone could say but for small low-power embedded applications, all you may need is to recognize a few well-defined phrases. For example, like &ldquo;heat up my coffee&rdquo; or &ldquo;turn the lights off.&rdquo; Recently we have demonstrated this feature on our low-power <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/msp432p401r">MSP432</a>&trade; MCU.</p>
<p>We have released a <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-speech-recognizer">speech recognizer library</a> written in C code that can enable a MSP432 MCU-based application to recognize your own personal speech phrases. It recognizes up to 11 phrases while ignoring other speech. You do have to tell the recognizer your phrases by saying them a few times but once that&rsquo;s done, it&rsquo;s ready to go.</p>
<p>The library has features that you would expect such as:</p>
<ul>
<li>You can change the phrases any time you want</li>
<li>It can be instructed to respond to only a few of the phrases</li>
<li>And of course, you can delete a phrase from your repertoire if you wish</li>
</ul>
<p>The library comes with some easy to use header files and user and API guides to get you up and running quickly. The download also includes an example demo program targeting the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp432p401r">MSP432 MCU LaunchPad</a>&trade; development kit, <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/boostxl-audio">Audio BoosterPack</a>&trade; plug-in&nbsp; module, and either the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/430boost-sharp96">Sharp</a> or <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/BOOSTXL-K350QVG-S1">Kentec</a> LCD BoosterPack&nbsp; kit.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The demo app uses the 14-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC14) integrated in the MSP432 MCU to gather speech, and the LCD to display menus. The menus allow you to run recognizer features. You can choose to:<a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/7713.MSP432-MCU-with-ADC14.JPG"><img src="/resized-image/__size/400x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/7713.MSP432-MCU-with-ADC14.JPG" width="325" height="267" style="float:right;" alt=" "></a><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/7713.MSP432-MCU-with-ADC14.JPG"><br></a></p>
<ul>
<li>Say a phrase that you want the recognizer to remember. It will create a model of that speech and store it in flash memory (a task called enrollment).<br><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/7713.MSP432-MCU-with-ADC14.JPG"><br></a></li>
<li>Say an enrolled phrase again. The recognizer will use it to make a better model for improved performance (a task called update).</li>
<li>Delete a model that has been enrolled</li>
<li>Run recognition</li>
</ul>
<p>So, what are your ideas for MCU-based apps and devices that could be voice enabled? I&rsquo;d be interested in hearing. But now I think I&rsquo;ll take a break to &ldquo;Heat up my coffee.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Attending <a href="http://www.ti.com/ww/eu/electronica2016/index.html?HQS=corp-event-null-electronica2016-vanity-lp-homepage-eu">electronica 2016</a>? Stop by the TI booth (hall A4, Booth 219) to see this demo in action.</p>
<p>Additional resources:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/analogwire/archive/2016/04/28/the-secret-of-using-noise-to-improve-your-adc-performance">The secret of using noise to improve your ADC&rsquo;s performance</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/10/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-1">How to leverage the flexibility of an integrated ADC in an MCU for your design to outshine your competitor</a>&nbsp;&ndash; part 1</li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2">How to leverage the flexibility of an integrated ADC in an MCU for your design to outshine your competitor</a>&nbsp;&ndash; part 2&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/06/06/top-12-ways-to-achieve-low-power-using-the-features-of-an-integrated-adc">Top 12 ways to achieve low power using the features of an integrated ADC</a></li>
<li><a href="/group/launchyourdesign/b/blog/archive/2016/10/04/six-reasons-you-shouldn-t-pick-an-mcu">Six reasons you shouldn&rsquo;t pick an MCU</a></li>
</ul>
<p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669200&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">MSP432 microcontrollersspeech recongnizerADC14MSP432P401RelectronicaUpdating those hard-to-reach industrial machineshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/04/updating-those-hard-to-reach-industrial-machinesFri, 04 Nov 2016 12:00:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:fb597819-b0e0-41db-9d92-f4289da14731Ryan Brown13http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669205http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/04/updating-those-hard-to-reach-industrial-machines#comments<p>Have you ever found yourself needing to update firmware on a product that has been released for field operation?&nbsp; Lifetime dependability is not guaranteed after all, a software bug could be discovered or the program&rsquo;s functionality could be further optimized after the initial release date.&nbsp; Quick action is necessary to update the products which have already left the factory.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But what if these units do not include an easily available JTAG or bootloader communication port?&nbsp; What if the product itself is likewise inaccessible, located in a hard-to-reach location or in an environment that should not be disturbed or tampered with?&nbsp; What tools do you have at your disposal to easily update such devices?</p>
<p>System-on-chip (SoC) solutions are always an option, and TI provides a wide range of <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/wireless_connectivity/simplelink/wireless_microcontrollers/overview.page">SimpleLink&trade; wireless microcontrollers</a> (MCUs) that implement low-power, low-cost solutions across a variety of communication protocols including Wi-Fi&reg;, <i>Bluetooth</i>&reg; low energy, 6LowPAN, ZigBee&reg;, RF4CE&trade;, proprietary 2.4 GHz and Sub-1 GHz technologies.&nbsp; Any of these devices could wirelessly access the JTAG or built-in bootloader interface of a product using the MSP430&trade; MCU but are hindered by compatible communication peripherals &mdash; defined communication protocols&mdash; and the overhead from adding an extra MCU to the system.&nbsp; There must be a more flexible solution available!</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slaa721/slaa721.pdf">MSP430FRBoot</a> bootloader could be the answer you are looking for. &nbsp;An extension of the <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slaa600a/slaa600a.pdf">MSPBoot main memory bootloader</a>, MSP430FRBoot is a customizable programming solution that supports all MSP430 FRAM large memory model MCUs (where addresses can be greater than 16 bits) and furthermore demonstrates how over-the-air (OTA) updates can be realized.&nbsp; With a minimal memory footprint of less than 4KB in size, this software solution illustrates the ability to update device memory with configurable entry sequences, application validation and shared interrupt vectors.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/MSP430FRboot-example.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/500x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/MSP430FRboot-example.jpg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>But what if wireless communication is lost or interrupted halfway through an update?&nbsp; Direct memory access could leave the device in a hazardous unknown state, bricking the application and disabling further contact attempts.&nbsp; No problem &ndash; simply use the dual-image feature, a mode that downloads and verifies the entirety of the transmitted code before it is copied to the device&rsquo;s application memory.&nbsp; If a complete download cycle is unsuccessful, no harm is done as the MSP430 MCU recognizes the issue and continues operation of the original firmware.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/MSP430FRBOOT-diagram.JPG"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1230x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/MSP430FRBOOT-diagram.JPG" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slaa721/slaa721.pdf">MSP430FRBoot application report</a> provides a software package that contains the necessary source code for implementing a main memory bootloader.&nbsp; eUSCI supports both wired UART and wireless SPI (for use with a Sub-1 GHz CC110x RF transceiver) is provided, but the hardware layers are abstracted and as such can be ported to support a multitude of communication peripherals and protocols.&nbsp; Host and target project examples are provided for multiple FRAM LaunchPad&trade; development kit variants to be used with a radio BoosterPack&trade; plug-in module, which can be directly connected to the LaunchPad kit headers and does not require any further hardware connections in order to run the provided demonstrations.&nbsp; The software package furthermore includes all tools, including a txt to array converter and command linker generator script, necessary to jump-start a custom project.</p>
<p>What application can you imagine using MSP430FRBoot for over-the-air updates?&nbsp; Log in and comment below to share your ideas.</p>
<h4>Attending&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ti.com/ww/eu/electronica2016/index.html?HQS=corp-event-null-electronica2016-vanity-lp-homepage-eu">electronica 2016</a>? Stop by the TI booth (hall A4, Booth 219) to see this demo in action.</h4>
<p><b></b><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>For more details and a link to example projects, read the <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slaa721/slaa721.pdf">application note</a> on MSP430FRBoot.</li>
<li>Explore the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp430fr5994">MSP-EXP430FR5994</a>, <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp430fr5969">MSP-EXP430FR5969</a> and <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp430fr6989">MSP-EXP430FR6989</a> LaunchPad kits and <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/430boost-cc110l">430BOOST-CC110L</a> BoosterPack plug-in modules.</li>
<li>Learn more about <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/msp/ultra-low_power/msp430frxx_fram/overview.page">MSP430 FRAM MCUs</a>.</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669205&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">over-the-air updatesFRAMMSP430 Ultra-Low Power 16-bit MCUslaunchpadmsp-exp430fr5969MSP430FRbootMSP-EXP430FR6989BoosterPacks430BOOST-CC110LOTA updatesMSP-EXP430FR5994It may be small, but it’s powerfulhttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/10/27/it-may-be-small-but-it-s-powerfulThu, 27 Oct 2016 19:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:b4af1553-8598-49f4-a6e2-cedbd457a8b7DaveS0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669175http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/10/27/it-may-be-small-but-it-s-powerful#comments<p>In a world where memory and pin count increase on an almost daily basis, we sometimes hear questions asking why we continue to develop and release microcontrollers (MCUs) with only a few kilobytes (KBs) of memory.&nbsp; Well the answer is really quite simple. There are hundreds of applications that can benefit by using a low-power MCU to replace standard logic or other analog circuits.&nbsp; Often these MCU-based solutions provide new functionality and flexibility, bringing additional value to a design.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/pencil-chip.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/500x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/pencil-chip.jpg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" width="405" height="244" alt=" "></a>As an example, we could connect a temperature sensor to the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and with a few lines of control code we can build a simple temperature controller. The diagram below shows the system using the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/LMT88?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-pf-lmt88-wwe">LMT88</a> temperature sensor and a potentiometer to create a simple closed loop on / off control system by switching a relay to control a heating element. &nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/block-diagram-of-temperature-control-system.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1230x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/block-diagram-of-temperature-control-system.png" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p align="center"><i>Figure 1: Block diagram of a simple temperature control system</i></p>
<p>By changing the temperature sensor to an ultraviolet (UV) sensor we could build a simple UV exposure monitor that measures UV levels over a given time period, or by using a simple moisture sensor we could maintain soil moisture levels by controlling an irrigation system.&nbsp; While these types of applications can be built with a few simple active and passive components such as a thermistor and a comparator, we can easily add a programmable element into the feature set or enable more advanced control features such as implementing a proportional term controller to control a variable heating element or a variable speed pump.&nbsp; We can easily enable an interface to allow the user to change the set point or to vary the level of hysteresis, it isn&rsquo;t always as simple to do with a hard wired analog or fixed function IC based solution.</p>
<p>We have recently released two new MSP430&trade; MCUs with low pin count that are perfect for many simple applications.&nbsp; With up to 4 KB of embedded ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), plus 1 KB of RAM, these devices offer a compiler friendly alternative too many of the 8-bit MCU&rsquo;s on the market today.&nbsp; These new low cost MSP430 MCU devices are a great entry point to see what FRAM is all about.&nbsp; Offering great flexibility for programmers, FRAM&rsquo;s unique ability to operate as both non-volatile program and non-volatile data memory allows developers to customize the partitioning of program and data memory that was previously not possible with conventional flash and RAM combinations.&nbsp; Along with this flexibility, FRAM offers significant energy savings when writing to memory compared to EEPROM or flash memory, you can find out more about FRAM technology <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/msp/ultra-low_power/msp430frxx_fram/overview.page?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-lp-fram-wwe">here</a>. &nbsp;</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2110?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-pf-fr2110-wwe">MSP430FR2110</a> and <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2111?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-pf-fr2111-wwe">MSP430FR2111</a> MCUs pack a significant feature set into a tiny 3x3 mm package.&nbsp; Besides offering up to 4 KB of embedded ultra-low power FRAM non-volatile program storage, they also include:</p>
<ul>
<li>10-bit 200K sample ADC with eight external input channels</li>
<li>Low-power comparator with a 6-bit programmable threshold</li>
<li>Real-time counter with low-power backup memory</li>
<li>Hardware UART / SPI serial interface&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p>With 1K pricing under $0.50 for the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2110" class="internal-link folder product" title="Link to Product Folder" target="_blank">MSP430FR2110</a> MCU, &nbsp;this cost effective, feature packed device is already finding many new applications, what would you do with it?</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/msp430FR2111-value-line-MCU.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1230x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/msp430FR2111-value-line-MCU.jpg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>To begin development we have the low cost ($15.99) <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp430fr2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-tf-fr2x1-wwe">MSP-EXP430FR2311</a> LaunchPad&trade; development kit, there is also a 20 pin TSSOP target socket board, <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-ts430pw20?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-tf-targetsocket-wwe">MSP-TS430PW20</a>.</p>
<p>How to get started:</p>
<ul>
<li>For further information and full product details visit the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2111?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-pf-fr2111-wwe">product folder</a>.</li>
<li>Order the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp430fr2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-tf-fr2x1-wwe">MSP-EXP430FR2311 LaunchPad</a> kit.</li>
<li>You can order <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2111/samplebuy?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-framhighlow-mspblog-20161027-storeic-fr2111-wwe">samples</a> today to try these new devices out yourself.</li>
<li>Move to the MSP430 FRAM Value Line with this <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slaa649d/slaa649d.pdf">migration guide</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669175&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">MSP430 Ultra-Low Power 16-bit MCUsMSP-EXP430FR2311temperature sensingMSP430FR2110value lineMSP430FR2111LMT88MSP-TS430PW20Health monitoring devices get a jolt from MCUshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/29/health-monitoring-devices-get-a-jolt-from-mcusThu, 29 Sep 2016 11:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:0aefb43b-c8b7-4fd6-b915-b3b64b6e14bdShailesh Thakurdesai0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669064http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/29/health-monitoring-devices-get-a-jolt-from-mcus#comments<p>The market for fitness products received a jolt several years ago when wristband-sized health monitors burst on the scene. Then, smartwatches made their appearance and they were able to gather more advanced health-related data. Now, telemedicine is steadily climbing in popularity. In fact, some say that telemedicine, which will rely on remote health monitoring devices to a great extent, holds tremendous promise for reducing healthcare costs in the future.</p>
<p>So, as the market for health monitors picks up steam, microcontrollers (MCUs) with a special combination of capabilities and resources will be needed to simplify product development and provide the qualities required by these devices. At the top of developers&rsquo; &lsquo;must-have&rsquo; list has got to be a high degree of integration, since most health monitors are very small devices, that, in turn, means that the MCU and related circuitry must fit into a tiny form factor.</p>
<p>A new breed of MCUs, which includes TI&rsquo;s new <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-pf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311</a> MCU, integrates much more than typical MCUs have in the past. Newly integrated capabilities include an analog front-end with several standard operational amplifiers as well as a very low-power transimpedance amplifier (TIA) capable of converting a very low current into a voltage signal, one homogenous block of Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FRAM) instead of the typical RAM/Flash memory architecture, as well as an on-chip oscillator. That&rsquo;s a lot in a small 3.5 mm x 4 mm package. &nbsp;</p>
<p>For small form factor health monitoring devices like digital thermometers, such an MCU is needed. Not only will the entire system fit within the demanding space requirements of the application, but the very sensitive TIA will make the device extremely accurate to avoid false readings, a necessity in the health industry. The <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-pf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311</a> MCU&rsquo;s TIA has a current leakage input of just 50 pico-Amperes (pA), 20 times lower than any other current sensing solution in the industry. A lower current input leakage allows a TIA to sense lower currents, making the device that much more sensitive to whatever parameter is being measured. The low-power TIA also prolongs the device&rsquo;s battery life.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/digital-thermometer.jpeg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/500x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/digital-thermometer.jpeg" width="374" height="279" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>Figure 1: Digital&nbsp;thermometers&nbsp;need a small form factor MCU</em><em></em></p>
<p>And a unified FRAM memory architecture means that the developer doesn&rsquo;t have to juggle code-storage space in Flash memory vs. data-logging storage in RAM. One large block of FRAM lets the system designer decide what ratio of code-to-data storage is most appropriate to the application.</p>
<p>Of course, next-generation health monitoring devices might evolve into multi-functional devices. For example, some monitors now measure ultraviolet (UV) light levels to alert users of conditions that might lead to sunburn. Sensors are available to measure temperature and humidity. Combining these capabilities could lead to a device mounted on a wristband that warns the person wearing it of the need for sunscreen and hazardous heat conditions. The next step might be to monitor skin temperature and heart rate, which could provide an early warning to construction workers of heat exhaustion.</p>
<p>Certainly, thanks to highly capable MCUs like the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-pf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311</a> MCU, the types of low-cost, highly accurate, highly versatile health monitoring devices we will see in the future is practically limitless.</p>
<p>Follow along with our other blog posts related to <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-pf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311</a> MCUs:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/03/22/reach-new-low-power-levels-for-any-sensor-based-design-with-new-msp430fr2311-mcu?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-blog-fr2311-wwe">Reach new low-power levels for any sensor based design with new MSP430FR2311 MCU</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/25/iot-wearables-and-other-new-applications-create-need-for-super-sensitive-sensors?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-blog-TIA-wwe">IoT, wearables and other new applications create need for super-sensitive sensors</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/04/air-quality-monitors-and-smoke-detectors-put-on-a-new-face?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-blog-airquality-wwe">Air quality monitors and smoke detectors put on a new face</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/industrial_strength/archive/2016/08/16/smart-buildings-get-smarter-with-ultra-low-power-mcus?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-blog-buidlingauto-wwe">Smart buildings get smarter with ultra-low-power MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/18/when-green-meets-the-iot?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160929-blog-pwermonitoring-wwe">When green meets the IoT</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/17/value-line-mcus-bring-more-analog-to-personal-electronic-products">Value line MCUs bring more analog to personal electronic products</a></li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669064&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">MSP430FR2311 blog seriesMSP430FR2311Low-power MCUshealth monitoringMSP430 FRAM microcontrollershealthcareUnit testing ultra-low-power MSP430™ MCUs in a desktop environmenthttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/27/unit-testing-the-msp430-within-a-desktop-environmentTue, 27 Sep 2016 11:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:5607b2ee-3400-487e-b36c-4601a784a033Kris0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=668973http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/27/unit-testing-the-msp430-within-a-desktop-environment#comments<p>I&#39;ve written a short white paper that outlines some methodologies that can be used for unit testing code written for any ultra-low-power MSP430&trade; microcontrollers (MCU). Through my many years of experience of writing software for desktop, embedded and web applications, it&#39;s only in the last few years that I&#39;ve really transitioned into test-driven development, and on the whole, it can be one of the ways to dramatically improve code readability and structure, as well as reduce the potential for the introduction of bugs during design and refactoring stages.</p>
<p>Writing software for an MSP430 MCU should be no different, as one can apply similar design methodologies to embedded development. There are a few small tricks that need to be performed in order to properly setup an MSP430 MCU test suite, but they are relatively simple and make use of modern C++ constructs which fit nicely to mimic register updates and interrupts.</p>
<p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/msp_2D00_test.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1230x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/msp_2D00_test.png" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>Please find the attached white paper to learn more.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=668973&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">MSP430c++msp430f5438aunit testingSub-1 GHz + Bluetooth® low energy and low-power MCUs help make meter reading automatichttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/23/sub-1-ghz-bluetooth-low-energy-and-low-power-mcus-help-make-meter-reading-automaticFri, 23 Sep 2016 17:00:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:a9a558ca-970b-4e4a-8dcd-937a1a908766svendbt2http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=669046http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/23/sub-1-ghz-bluetooth-low-energy-and-low-power-mcus-help-make-meter-reading-automatic#comments<p>With the increasing focus on utilizing less of our world&rsquo;s resources in our daily lives &ndash; water and energy are two important factors that can easily be reduced. Automatic meter reading (AMR) is one of the technologies being introduced to achieve this goal by automatically collecting consumption and status data of resource meters for electrical energy, water and gas.</p>
<p>This technology can save utility providers from travelling to the physical location of the meters to do periodic readouts and it can ensure billing can be based on an almost real-time consumption of resources instead of estimations. With this information it is possible to help both utilities and consumers better control production and usage of resources.</p>
<p align="center"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/AdobeStock_5F00_58167833.jpeg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/400x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/AdobeStock_5F00_58167833.jpeg" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>Automated meter reading is currently rolling out across Europe as well as the U.S. <a href="http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2013/10/f3/epact_2005.pdf">Energy Policy Act of 2005</a> asks utilities to consider support for time-based rates to enabling consumers the ability to manage their energy use &ndash; with time most residential and commercial buildings in the modern world will manage resource consumption in an automated fashion.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP432P401M?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-pf-432-wwe">MSP432P401x</a> microcontroller (MCU) family introduces high performance analog integration and ultra-low-power consumption on a 32-bit ARM&reg; Cortex&reg;-M4F microcontroller platform. &nbsp;The MSP432&trade; MCUs come with an integrated 14-bit 1Msps analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that enables more accurate sensing and measurement. Combined with the ARM Cortex-M4F processing capability, this feature makes these low-power MCUs a great companion for gas and flow sensing and measurement. With up to 256kB of Flash, 64kB of SRAM and 84 IOs, the MSP432 MCUs can also serve as a wireless host processor to help run the wireless protocol stack as well as metering algorithms and application.</p>
<p>All the data that is continuously logged by the meter obviously needs to be transmitted to the utility companies for billing and analysis. A number of technologies can be used to achieve this, but the most popular by a large margin is to use radio frequency (RF) technologies to transmit data to a central concentrator, which forwards data from multiple customers over the Internet to the utility&rsquo;s database. It also allows utility companies to detect anomalies in their network such as tampering and power outages.</p>
<p>RF technologies for communication with utilities typically have three important requirements:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Ultra-low power consumption</b> &ndash; many meters are battery powered and need to have a battery lifetime of up to 10 years.</li>
<li><b>Longest possible range </b>&ndash; This is desired to minimize the number of gateways / concentrators &ndash; infrastructure cost is a significant part of AMR technology.</li>
<li><b>Security </b>&ndash; Utilities need to make sure the data received are correct and not tampered with.</li>
</ul>
<p>TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/wireless_connectivity/sub-1_ghz/simplelink-ulp-sub-1-ghz.page?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-lp-cc13xx-wwe">SimpleLink&trade; Sub-1 GHz CC13xx wireless MCUs</a> are a perfect fit for the RF communication needed for automated meter reading. The CC13xx family offers the industry&rsquo;s lowest power consumption, up to 20 km of line of sight range and hardware-accelerated industry-standard encryption features. Additionally, the CC13xx series already supports wireless M-Bus, a widely used European standard for gas and electricity meters.</p>
<p>In addition to all advantages AMR products has &nbsp;for utility companies, the new SimpleLink dual-band <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/CC1350?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-pf-cc1350-wwe">CC1350</a> wireless MCU also supports <i>Bluetooth&reg;</i> low energy in addition to Sub-1 GHz frequency bands. This enables a whole range of new features to be added to metering applications such as:</p>
<ul>
<li>Simple commissioning of new meters by configuring meters using a tablet computer or smartphone.</li>
<li>Possibilities for wirelessly updates to metering software through applications on customer phones.</li>
</ul>
<p>When adding Bluetooth low energy to the automated meters, it also allows the consumer to become more aware of their resource usage. It will be possible to push daily updates of gas/water/electricity consumption directly to the consumers&rsquo; phone, thus making them focus on reducing unnecessary consumption.</p>
<p>By adding a direct interface directly to the customer &ldquo;world&rdquo; it will also be possible to quickly detect and alert both the consumer and utility company of potentially damaging or dangerous situations such as water or gas leaks.</p>
<p>Additional resources:</p>
<ul>
<li>Learn more about <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/MSP432/overview.page?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-lp-432-wwe">MSP432 MCUs</a>.</li>
<li>Check out the new <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/CC1350?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-pf-cc1350-wwe">SimpleLink dual-band CC1350 wireless MCU</a>,</li>
<li>Find out more about TI&rsquo;s&nbsp; solutions for the grid:
<ul>
<li>Download the water meter reference design <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/ug/tidu517a/tidu517a.pdf">guide</a>.</li>
<li>Learn more about smart electricity meters <a href="http://www.ti.com/solution/docs/appsolution.tsp?appId=407?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-lp-smartmeters-wwe">solutions</a>.</li>
<li>Get more info on tamper protection in this <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slaa715/slaa715.pdf">application note</a>.</li>
<li>Download the Heat Cost Allocator with wM-Bus at 868 MHz TI design reference design (<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-00838?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-rd-00838-wwe">TIDA-00838</a>).</li>
<li>Read about the importance of heat-cost allocators in smart meter designs <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/smartgrid/archive/2016/08/05/importance-of-heat-cost-allocators-in-smart-meter-designs">blog</a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Watch our why Sub-1 GHz + Bluetooth low energy <a href="http://www.ti.com/general/docs/video/watch.tsp?entryid=5121544045001&amp;HQS=epd-wcs-scs-cc1350-vanity-v-dualband-wwe?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-vd-whysub1ble-wwe">video</a>.</li>
<li>Want to learn more about the new <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/CC1350" class="internal-link folder product" title="Link to Product Folder" target="_blank">CC1350</a> wireless MCU? Read other parts of this blog series:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/connecting_wirelessly/archive/2016/09/14/bringing-bluetooth-low-energy-to-sub-1-ghz-networks-with-simplelink-cc1350-wireless-mcu?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-blog-cc1350-wwe">Bringing Bluetooth&reg; low energy to Sub-1 GHz networks with SimpleLink&trade; CC1350 wireless MCU</a></li>
<li><a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/thinkinnovate/archive/2016/09/14/connect-the-iot-to-your-smartphone-with-long-range-and-low-power?HQS=epd-wcs-lpc-cc1350-mspblog-20160923-blog-think-wwe">Connect the IoT to your smartphone with long range and low power</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=669046&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">meter readingsub-1 GhzCC1350 blog seriesTIDA-00838CC1350smart gridMSP432P401Mmsp432When green meets the IoThttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/18/when-green-meets-the-iotThu, 18 Aug 2016 12:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:19a4e22d-65eb-49e4-a128-e690a7e35a15Shailesh Thakurdesai0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=668928http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/18/when-green-meets-the-iot#comments<p>When it comes to lowering the rate of power consumption wherever possible, two seemingly unrelated trends &ndash; the <a href="http://www.ti.com/iot">Internet of Things</a> (IoT) and the green power movement &ndash; seemingly converge. Of course, low-power consumption is nothing new for designers of embedded systems. The two trends do add to the pressure already felt by designers to develop systems that not only consume less power themselves, but also help reduce the power consumption of other systems so that the overall rate of power consumption decreases.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To ease the pressure on embedded system designers, several new microcontrollers (MCU) such as TI&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311/description?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160818-pf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311</a> MCU are being integrated with all of the building blocks needed to be a low-power power monitoring system. A very versatile analog front end comprised of several standard operational amplifiers and what is rarely found included on a MCU, a super-sensitive low-current transimpedance amplifier (TIA), are integrated with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), highly configurable ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), and even an oscillator to provide a flexible platform for a wide variety of power monitoring applications.</p>
<p>Small embedded devices with power monitoring requirements are already popping all over the IoT. Just one example is the wireless switches which control a light in a room, a bank of lights in an office or a large industrial space. Such switches must consume little power on their own, since some will be battery operated. And in addition to turning light fixtures on and off, some wireless switches will be asked to keep track of the power consumed by the lights scaling back the power or example, for the lights to stay within a certain power budget, or in combination with a motion sensor or turning off the lights entirely when the space is unoccupied. The permutations are practically endless.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/AdobeStock_5F00_100990286.jpeg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/600x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/AdobeStock_5F00_100990286.jpeg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" width="490" height="332" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>A highly integrated MCU consumes less power and has reduced space requirements, making its embedding into a small light switch that much easier while also reducing the bill of materials (BOM) costs by eliminating discrete devices from the design. With on-chip op amplifiers, an ADC and a digital processor, the MCU can monitor an analog current, convert this into a digital signal and process it all inside one device. Plus, an integrated crystal lowers the MCU&rsquo;s standby power consumption to as low as 170 microAmps while maintaining a speedy wake-up response of less than 10 microseconds. And, with one block of FRAM instead of the typical combination of RAM and Flash, designers have the flexibility to decide how much storage space to allocate to code and how much to data logging. The designer decides, not the resources on the MCU.</p>
<p>A major emphasis of the green movement is power consumption ratings like the U.S. government&rsquo;s Energy Star ratings, which are prominently associated with all sort of appliances and office machines such as ink jet and laser printers. A highly integrated power monitoring MCU could act as a housekeeping processor over the power subsystem in a larger system, such as a printer, for example, to ensure a favorable power consumption rating. A low-power MCU would not consume much power on its own and it could monitor the current flowing into the printer. When the printer is not in use, the power-monitoring MCU would notify the system&rsquo;s main microprocessor, which could either gradually shut down nonessential sections of the system or just shut down the system entirely to reduce power consumption.</p>
<p>Since they deliver the performance and capabilities prized by a wide range of market segments and meet the needs of the major trends that are driving marketplace demand, MCUs like the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311/description?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160818-pf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311</a> MCU will be a good fit for many applications for years to come.</p>
<p>Follow along with our other blog posts related to <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430FR2311" class="internal-link folder product" title="Link to Product Folder" target="_blank">MSP430FR2311</a> MCUs:</p>
<ul>
<li>Enjoyed this topic? Keep reading other related blog posts:
<ul>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/03/22/reach-new-low-power-levels-for-any-sensor-based-design-with-new-msp430fr2311-mcu">Reach new low-power levels for any sensor based design with new MSP430FR2311 MCU</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/25/iot-wearables-and-other-new-applications-create-need-for-super-sensitive-sensors">IoT, wearables and other new applications create need for super-sensitive sensors</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/04/air-quality-monitors-and-smoke-detectors-put-on-a-new-face">Air quality monitors and smoke detectors put on a new face</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/industrial_strength/archive/2016/08/16/smart-buildings-get-smarter-with-ultra-low-power-mcus">Smart buildings get smarter with ultra-low-power MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/29/health-monitoring-devices-get-a-jolt-from-mcus">Health monitoring devices get a jolt from MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/17/value-line-mcus-bring-more-analog-to-personal-electronic-products">Value line MCUs bring more analog to personal electronic products</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=668928&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">Power MonitoringMSP430FR2311 blog seriesInternet of ThingsMSP430FR2311Air quality monitors and smoke detectors put on a new facehttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/04/air-quality-monitors-and-smoke-detectors-put-on-a-new-faceThu, 04 Aug 2016 11:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:a7b56559-26e4-4f63-a6fa-2a718480ab9bShailesh Thakurdesai0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=668891http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/04/air-quality-monitors-and-smoke-detectors-put-on-a-new-face#comments<p>Air quality monitors are not new. In fact, we all have one built right in the middle of our faces. Unfortunately, our noses are sometimes unreliable when they fail to detect odorless noxious gases or we&rsquo;re fast asleep while a fire smolders somewhere close by.</p>
<p>Microcontroller(MCU)-based air quality monitors and smoke detectors have been around for some time too, but now a new generation of low-power, highly integrated, high-performance MCUs are teaming up with super-sensitive sensors to detect the faintest whiff of an unwanted gas or smoke particles in homes, offices, factories and just about anywhere.</p>
<p>For many applications like smoke detectors, these new MCUs are practically a detector-on-a-chip, minus the optics chamber. For other applications that require connection to a specialized sensor to detect a certain gas like carbon monoxide, for example, the high level of integration found in these MCUs makes them an extremely cost-effective solution.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Carbon-Monoxide-alarm.jpeg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/500x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Carbon-Monoxide-alarm.jpeg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" width="459" height="415" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>Many MCUs have integrated memory resources, but few feature a unified monolithic memory block that avoids the constraints imposed by &lsquo;RAM and Flash&rsquo; architectures. Basing the memory architecture on FRAM (ferroelectric random access memory) gives developers much more flexibility and configurability, simplifying how they might scale applications onto this platform.</p>
<p>For example, instead of having a surplus of Flash memory and not enough RAM, the system designer can configure memory to meet the needs of the application rather than shoehorning the application into a memory architecture dictated by the available memory blocks. Some applications might require more memory space to store extensive data logging to keep track of when the concentration of a gas exceeded certain thresholds. Such a detector might require that more of the available memory be devoted to Flash-equivalent storage and less to RAM for program storage. For other applications, the ratio might be reversed. With a unified memory architecture, the developer can simply reconfigure memory to meet the requirements of the application that&rsquo;s being worked on at the time.</p>
<p>This on-chip memory flexibility points to another advantage; namely, greater integration and how this reduces bill of material (BOM) costs as well as circuit board space. In addition to eliminating external memory devices, some of this new generation of highly integrated MCUs also includes an external oscillator and analog front-end components such as operational amplifiers. A few of these new MCUs even include a super-sensitive transimpedance amplifier (TIA) capable of monitoring and converting a very low current signal into a voltage signal. As many as six discrete chips could be eliminated from an old design and the size of the circuit board might be reduced by as much as 75 percent. All that adds up to an extremely cost-effective new product design.</p>
<p>Of course, the greater integration also has an effect on the system&rsquo;s reliability and power consumption. And fewer external parts will simplify assembly, reducing manufacturing costs.</p>
<p>Many residential, industrial and commercial air quality detectors are off the electrical grid and are powered by a small battery such as a coin cell or AA Cells. &nbsp;So, low power consumption is a high priority because it will affect how often the detector&rsquo;s battery must be replaced. In most use cases, the longer the battery life, the more beneficial the detector is for users. Homeowners would prefer to install a smoke detector and not have to change the battery for 10 years or more. In industrial settings, such as a production line on a factory floor, a gas monitor could conceivably be installed in a hard-to-reach or hazardous location. Not having to frequently install new batteries can improve the efficiency and throughput of the production line by reducing downtime for maintenance.</p>
<p>Interestingly, low power also helps non-battery powered or line connected addressable detectors to enable more modes on a single network increasing its capacity with limited power supply.</p>
<p>Another consideration for certain use cases would be backend communications, since many applications will call for the air quality monitors to be part of a larger factory automation or building maintenance system. Standard I/O interfaces like SPI, I2C and UART can provide connectivity directly to wired networks or to wireless technologies like Wi-Fi&reg; or <i>Bluetooth&reg;</i>.</p>
<p>Additional resources:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get started developing with the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/MSP-EXP430FR2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160804-tf-fr2311LP-wwe">MSP430FR2311 MCU LaunchPad&trade; development kit</a>.</li>
<li>Download this TI Design reference design for single-chip, portable carbon monoxide (co) monitors with MSP430&trade; MCUs&nbsp;(<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDM-1CHP-DTECT-CO?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160804-rd-co-wwe">TIDM-1CHP-DTECT-CO</a>).</li>
<li>Also check out TI&rsquo;s&nbsp;PM2.5 and PM10 Particle Sensor Analog Front-End for Air Quality Monitoring Reference Design&nbsp;(<a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDA-00378" target="_blank" title="Link to Tool Folder">TIDA-00378</a>)</li>
<li>Follow along with our other blog posts:
<ul>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/03/22/reach-new-low-power-levels-for-any-sensor-based-design-with-new-msp430fr2311-mcu?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160804-blog-fr2311-wwe">Reach new low-power levels for any sensor based design with new MSP430FR2311 MCU</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/25/iot-wearables-and-other-new-applications-create-need-for-super-sensitive-sensors?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160804-blog-TIA-wwe">IoT, wearables and other new applications create need for super-sensitive sensors</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/industrial_strength/archive/2016/08/16/smart-buildings-get-smarter-with-ultra-low-power-mcus">Smart buildings get smarter with ultra-low-power MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/18/when-green-meets-the-iot">When green meets the IoT</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/29/health-monitoring-devices-get-a-jolt-from-mcus">Health monitoring devices get a jolt from MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/17/value-line-mcus-bring-more-analog-to-personal-electronic-products">Value line MCUs bring more analog to personal electronic products</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=668891&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">building automationMSP430FR2311 blog seriesair quality sensorsMSP430FR2311TIDA-00378TIDM-1CHP-DTECT-COIoT, wearables and other new applications create need for super-sensitive sensorshttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/25/iot-wearables-and-other-new-applications-create-need-for-super-sensitive-sensorsMon, 25 Jul 2016 11:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:0c16fba1-63e0-4a2a-b32f-9dbac07daf08Shailesh Thakurdesai1http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=668869http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/25/iot-wearables-and-other-new-applications-create-need-for-super-sensitive-sensors#comments<p>The many new applications coming about because of the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as a slew of standalone portable devices and personal electronic gadgets, are creating a huge need for next-generation intelligent sensing and measurement capabilities. These applications share a number of requirements, such as increased sensitivity, extremely low current detection, ultra-low power consumption &ndash; since many of these applications will be battery-operated &ndash; and very small form factors.</p>
<p>In addition, many of the advanced sensor and measurement devices generate a very low current as an output signal, which must eventually be processed digitally. Before that can happen, the low-current signal must be amplified and converted into a voltage-oriented signal, which is then processed by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and output to a processor of some sort. In most cases, this will be a microcontroller (MCU).</p>
<p>Most off-the-shelf operational amplifiers (op-amps) simply cannot amplify or convert the low-current output signals generated by many of these new sensors, so a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) is best suited to the needs of these applications. Unfortunately, many discrete TIAs have a high level of input leakage and this effectively sets the lower limit on the current that the TIA can amplify and convert to a voltage signal.</p>
<p>So, for example, many standard TIAs have an input leakage of approximately five nano-Amperes (5nA). As a result, any output current from a sensor that is below 5nA could not be converted and amplified by any of these standard TIAs. A promising solution to this dilemma would be to optimize the TIA with a focus on low leakage in the microcontroller. This can improve the input current leakage of the TIA by a factor of 100x if leakage as low as 50 pico-Amperes (pA) could be achieved. Coupling this type of solution with a sensor that generates a low-current output signal can result in an intelligent, super-sensitive sensing subsystem capable of monitoring very small amounts of current. The slightest change in the parameter being monitored by the sensor would trigger a very small alteration in the sensor&rsquo;s output current. In other words, the sensing subsystem becomes more sensitive than ever before.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/TIA.JPG"><img src="/resized-image/__size/800x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/TIA.JPG" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>Such an MCU + TIA solution is a very good fit for a wide range of applications. Environmental sensing systems, like smoke detectors or poisonous gas detectors for carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, would be very sensitive to the slightest wisp of smoke or CO in the air. Of course, such detectors might find their way into building automation systems where other applications could incorporate the same sort of MCU +TIA technology. Smart thermostats could monitor for both temperature and humidity, for example, or a wireless switch could monitor and control the power consumed by the lights in a room. Even wearable electronic devices like smartwatches or fitness activity trackers could incorporate a sensing subsystem. For instance, someone with sensitive skin might be interested in a smartwatch capable of sensing the ultraviolet light level to prevent sunburn. Power monitoring is another application that is becoming particularly important for the many battery-operated devices that are so popular today. An MCU + TIA-based solution could sense the current flowing out of a battery, gauge the power remaining in the battery and then send an alert to the user when the battery needed to be recharged.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Obviously, the range of applications is quite extensive. Over the next few weeks or months we will take a closer look at how some of these applications could be implemented.</p>
<p>By the way, if you think an MCU with an integrated TIA might be a good fit for your application, take a look at the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/msp430fr2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160725-pf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311 MCU</a>.</p>
<p>Additionally resources:</p>
<ul>
<li>Get started developing with the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/MSP-EXP430FR2311?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160725-tf-fr2311-wwe">MSP430FR2311 MCU LaunchPad&trade; development kit</a></li>
<li>Read our <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/wp/slay049/slay049.pdf?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160725-wp-fr2311-wwe">white paper</a>&nbsp;about enabling sensing applications with smart analog MCUs.</li>
<li>Learn all about the TIA in <i>Electronic Design </i>&ldquo;<a href="http://electronicdesign.com/analog/whats-all-transimpedance-amplifier-stuff-anyhow-part-1?code=UM_Classics071&amp;utm_rid=CPG05000003822988&amp;utm_campaign=6922&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;elq2=5f755d22622b44b89b00e251172a124e">What&rsquo;s All This Transimpedance Amplifier Stuff, Anyhow?</a>&rdquo; article</li>
<li>Follow along with our other blog posts:
<ul>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/03/22/reach-new-low-power-levels-for-any-sensor-based-design-with-new-msp430fr2311-mcu?HQS=epd-mcu-msp-smokey-mspblog-20160725-blog-fr2311-wwe">Reach new low-power levels for any sensor based design with new MSP430FR2311 MCU</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/04/air-quality-monitors-and-smoke-detectors-put-on-a-new-face">Air quality monitors and smoke detectors put on a new face</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/industrial_strength/archive/2016/08/16/smart-buildings-get-smarter-with-ultra-low-power-mcus">Smart buildings get smarter with ultra-low-power MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/08/18/when-green-meets-the-iot">When green meets the IoT</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/09/29/health-monitoring-devices-get-a-jolt-from-mcus">Health monitoring devices get a jolt from MCUs</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/11/17/value-line-mcus-bring-more-analog-to-personal-electronic-products">Value line MCUs bring more analog to personal electronic products</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=668869&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">MSP430 Ultra-Low Power 16-bit MCUsMSP430FR2311 blog seriesMSP430FR2311transimpedance amplifierTIAGetting sensor data to the cloud at the push of a button (well maybe a few keystrokes)http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/01/getting-sensor-data-to-the-cloud-at-the-push-of-a-button-well-maybe-a-few-keystrokesFri, 01 Jul 2016 11:00:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:abcf9d76-9637-4912-886b-1fb550d0a1bbDaveS1http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=668799http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/07/01/getting-sensor-data-to-the-cloud-at-the-push-of-a-button-well-maybe-a-few-keystrokes#comments<p>Remember when almost every box of electronics had an RS-232 port to get data out to a PC or bigger system? And then the world demanded that they have new-fangled USB interfaces.&nbsp; Well we have arrived at another similar moment in time again folks, this time the request is to connect our products to the &ldquo;IoT or Internet of Things&rdquo; or to &ldquo;the Cloud.&rdquo;&nbsp; Sitting at my desk this morning, I can count more than 10 devices that are connected to &ldquo;the cloud&rdquo; by either Wi-Fi&reg; or <i>Bluetooth&reg;</i> low energy.</p>
<p>Just last week I had the opportunity to attend and speak at the <a href="http://www.sensorsexpo.com/">Sensor Expo</a> conference in San Jose, CA on this very subject.&nbsp; The show brought together a wide variety of sensor system developers, sensor manufacturers, semiconductor vendors and experts from their various fields with a common theme running throughout, the growing need for connectivity, in many cases wireless connectivity, to be added to devices for IoT data transfer, storage or processing.</p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/MSP_5F00_sensors-expo.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/500x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/MSP_5F00_sensors-expo.jpg" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>I was co-presenting with <a href="https://temboo.com/hardware/ti">Temboo</a>, who provides a range of easy to use tools to quickly generate <a href="http://energia.nu/">Energia</a> code to run on TI&rsquo;s LaunchPad&trade; development kits. &nbsp;As an example, the code could be configured to read an analog temperature sensor and then when the temperature exceeds a certain limit it will send an SMS message, update a spreadsheet, invoke a text to speech service or one of 100&rsquo;s of other functions.&nbsp; All of this can be accomplished in under one hour using just a few dollars of development hardware such as the <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp432p401r">MSP432 LaunchPad</a> kit, a&nbsp; SimpleLink&trade; Wi-Fi <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/cc3100boost">CC3100 Booster Pack</a>&trade; plug-in module and pretty much any sensor that can be connected to an MCU via an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), digital port pin or a serial port.</p>
<p>I know that I&rsquo;m making this sound simple, and it really is. Here is a <a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2015/03/02/tutorial-making-a-plant-watering-reminder-system-with-launchpad-amp-energia">step-by-step tutorial</a> that walks through building an <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP430F5529">MSP430F5529</a> MCU based plant watering reminder that upon detecting a low soil moisture content will trigger an SMS message to be sent to remind me to take care of my plants, now I just need to combine this with my <a href="/group/launchyourdesign/m/msp430microcontrollerprojects/665934">Automated Chili-Gation system</a> watering system and I can get an instant report on the status of my next recipe.</p>
<p>(Please visit the site to view this video)</p>
<p>Take a look at the following links for more information on connecting TI MCU&rsquo;s and LaunchPad kits to the cloud by taking advantage of Temboo&#39;s capabilities.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/connecting_wirelessly/archive/2015/04/16/take-control-of-your-launchpad-sensor-data-with-temboo-streaming">Take control of your LaunchPad sensor data with Temboo Streaming</a></li>
<li><a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/connecting_wirelessly/archive/2015/12/21/program-m2m-networks-using-temboo-and-ti-s-launchpad-kits">Program M2M Networks using Temboo and TI&rsquo;s LaunchPad kits</a></li>
</ul>
<p>You can learn more about Temboo at <a href="http://www.temboo.com/hardware/ti">www.temboo.com/hardware/ti</a></p>
<p>Remember that you can&rsquo;t spell IoT without TI.</p>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div></div><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=668799&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">launchpadSensors ExpoCC3100MSP430TembooMSP430F5529energiaTop 12 ways to achieve low power using the features of an integrated ADChttp://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/06/06/top-12-ways-to-achieve-low-power-using-the-features-of-an-integrated-adcMon, 06 Jun 2016 11:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:df6bd317-ba0d-478f-b07f-26932d816a65Christy She1http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=668728http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/06/06/top-12-ways-to-achieve-low-power-using-the-features-of-an-integrated-adc#comments<p>Are you utilizing all the features of your integrated analog-to-digital converter (ADC) inside your microcontroller (MCU) to lower the power consumption of your design? This blog will walk you through how an integrated ADC can help you achieve lower power consumption.</p>
<p>For this discussion, we will use the integrated 14-bit ADC, named ADC14, inside the <a href="http://www.ti.com/product/MSP432P401R" target="_blank" title="Link to Product Folder">MSP432P401R</a> MCU as an example. &nbsp;The ADC14 was designed with low power applications in mind and turn on times reduced with duty cycled applications. However, each application is different so to reach the lowest power consumption possible, the knobs or programmability of the ADC14 must be selected with care.</p>
<p>This post focuses on a few key features of the MSP432&trade; MCUs, which allow you to customize the power and performance of the ADC14:</p>
<ol>
<li>Selectable reference&nbsp;</li>
<li>Fast startup</li>
<li>Selectable clock source</li>
<li>Power modes</li>
<li>Minimum supply voltage 1.62V</li>
<li>Ability to use integrated &nbsp;DC/DC to power core voltage</li>
<li>Auto power down</li>
<li>Internal temperature sensor with reduced ADC sample time</li>
<li>8, 10, 12, or 14-bit selection, select minimum to finish faster to save battery (covered in <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/10/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-1">blog </a>two of this series)</li>
<li>Window comparator so don&rsquo;t have to actually process, maybe even use 8-bit mode until a signal of interest is found (covered in <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2">blog three</a> of this series)</li>
<li>Block process with DMA (covered in <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2">blog three</a> of this series)</li>
<li>Use timer to trigger ADC conversion (covered in <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2">blog three</a> of this series)</li>
</ol>
<p><b>Selectable reference</b></p>
<p>The selectable reference lets users select the minimum current for their performance. Use the supply as the reference for ultimate low power if it is a stable supply. Using the supply as the reference means no current is needed for the internal reference and there is no startup time for the reference.</p>
<p><b>Fast startup time</b></p>
<p>ADC14 has been designed with fast startup times to enhance the low power for duty cycled applications. The ADC and clock (MODOSC or SYSOSC) turn on time is fast. Also, the internal reference, which is low power, turns on first before its buffers which settle fast (see device data sheet for specific values) turn on. The fast buffer settle time is enabled because an external capacitor is not required which would take time to charge. This minimizes the time the buffer is on to just when it is being used, verses a longer time to charge an external capacitor.</p>
<p><b></b><b>Selectable clock source</b></p>
<p>A system level power budget needs to be considered when looking at clock choice. A faster clock that finishes the conversion sooner can save energy in some cases. A duty cycled application may benefit from MODCLK that has a fast startup time. The user must consider that the increased current from a different clock source could minimize the time the ADC is on and result in a net power save.</p>
<p><b>Power modes</b></p>
<p>Power modes (ADC14PWRMD bit) adjust the current consumption based on the maximum sample rate, primarily by adjusting the buffers used when internal reference is selected. If you are using a slower clock for the ADC14, consider using the low power mode (ADC14PWRMD = 2), as is the case with SYSOSC, as the clock source (See device specific data sheet for specific clock requirements).</p>
<p>When external reference is used, the delta in energy per conversion between ADC14PWRMD settings is small as the reference buffer is not used. In this case, the slower clock reduces the ADC current consumption but it takes longer to finish.</p>
<p>When internal reference is used, the minimum energy power mode depends on your application. Factors such as any power savings from going to a lower power mode when ADC in not active, sample time, number of conversions, clock or reference is used elsewhere, clock frequency, number of conversions, etc. needs to be considered on a per application basis. Note for applications with long sample times, the ADC sample time current is less than the conversion current so you will see numbers less than what is in the datasheet. You may want to do some bench testing to see what the ADC current consumption is in your application.</p>
<p>Using the internal reference with minimum sample time and considering energy of MODOSC/SYSOSC, the low power mode of a single ADC conversion is the minimum energy. But with five or more conversions back to back, the conversion speed starts to dominate and the regular power mode with the faster clock offers the minimum energy. See Figure 1 for a comparison of the energy required for the two power modes for different number of conversions in 12-bit mode.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/ADC-with-internal-reference.JPG"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1230x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/ADC-with-internal-reference.JPG" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Figure 1.</p>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<p>To help you optimize for your system, two example current profiles are shown below in Figure 2 for ADC14 with internal reference in regular and low power modes.</p>
<p>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/ADC-with-internal-reference-coulombs.JPG"><img src="/resized-image/__size/1230x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/ADC-with-internal-reference-coulombs.JPG" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p align="center">Figure 2.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<b>Low minimum supply</b></p>
<p>ADC14 supports a best-in-class minimum supply voltage of 1.62 V when ADC14PWRMD = 2 (200ksps max) or 1.8 V min for full speed operation. For battery operation, this can extend the battery life if the low power mode can be used and still sample the signal adequately. For regulated supplies, using a buck converter for lower voltage can dramatically increase efficiency for all the current sources and lower the current pull from the supply.</p>
<p><b></b><b>Ability to use integrated DC/DC to power core voltage</b></p>
<p>MSP432 MCUs offer an integrated DC/DC converter to increase efficiency on the core supply which includes the ADC14 digital logic. The DC/DC reduces the current draw from the supply for the digital portion of the ADC14 current. For differential input, there is negligible difference in performance when DC/DC is used. For single-ended input mode, there is a small affect 70 dB v. 73 dB typical SINAD (signal-to-noise and distortion ration). See the device specific datasheet for full details to ensure ADC14 with DC/DC converter will work for your application.</p>
<p><b>Auto power down</b></p>
<p>Auto power down is a part of the ADC14 that helps it achieve low power without the user doing anything. When the ADC14 is not actively converting, the core is automatically disabled and automatically re-enabled when needed. The clock source, MODOSC or SYSOSC, is also automatically enabled to provide MODCLK or SYSCLK to the ADC14 when needed and disabled when not needed for the ADC14 or for the rest of the device. The ADC14 MODOSC/SYS OSC turns on in parallel with the internal reference so there is no penalty for having the clock automatically powered off.</p>
<p>The internal reference can also be automatically powered down between not in sample or convert phase by setting ADC14REFBURST bit and having REFON bit set to 0.</p>
<p><b>Internal temperature sensor</b></p>
<p>The internal temperature sensor was designed to require a shorter sample time than previous MSP devices to minimize energy used to measure temperature.</p>
<p>The last four items on the list were covered in more detail in <a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/10/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-1">blog two</a> and <a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2">three</a> of this series:</p>
<ul>
<li>Select the minimum <b>number of bits</b> needed to finish faster to save energy.</li>
<li>Use the <b>window comparator</b> so you do not have to actually process to compare the converted value and maybe even use 8-bit mode until you have a match and then increase the resolution.</li>
<li><b>Block process with DMA</b> to minimize resources used</li>
<li><b>Use timer to trigger ADC conversion</b> to minimize resources used</li>
</ul>
<p>How many of the above knobs can you leverage to lower the power consumption of MSP432 MCU&rsquo;s ADC for your application?</p>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>For more details on all ADC14 features, check out the <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/ug/slau356a/slau356a.pdf">MSP432 technical reference manual</a></li>
<li>Learn more about <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/msp/low_power_performance/msp432p4x/overview.page">MSP432 MCUs</a>.</li>
<li>Did you miss the first three parts of this series? Read all the posts about the integrated 14-bit ADC:
<ul>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/analogwire/archive/2016/04/28/the-secret-of-using-noise-to-improve-your-adc-performance">The secret of using noise to improve your ADC&rsquo;s performance</a>.</li>
<li>&nbsp;<a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/10/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-1">How to leverage the flexibility of an integrated ADC in an MCU for your design to outshine your competitor</a> &ndash; part 1</li>
<li><a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2">How to leverage the flexibility of an integrated ADC in an MCU for your design to outshine your competitor</a> &ndash; part 2&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=668728&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">ADC blog seriesmsp432MicrocontrollersMSP432P401RHow to leverage the flexibility of an integrated ADC in an MCU for your design to outshine your competitor – part 2http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2Tue, 24 May 2016 11:30:00 GMTcb01d8b2-d089-468d-babb-77d1d8683490:357ea095-aa24-407c-97b2-5d3d62241954Christy She0http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/rsscomments?WeblogPostID=668688http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/24/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-2#comments<p>In my recent posts, we&rsquo;ve explored how to increase ADC performance by <a href="/blogs_/b/analogwire/archive/2016/04/28/the-secret-of-using-noise-to-improve-your-adc-performance">oversampling a 14-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC)</a> integrated into an MCU and discussed the key performance features that provide flexibility to your design.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Today, I will focus on the ease-of-use- features of the <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/msp/low_power_performance/msp432p4x/overview.page">MSP432P401R MCU</a>&rsquo;s 14-bit ADC, named ADC14, which offers the flexibility to customize for your application:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ease-of-use features:
<ul>
<li>Choice of sample and conversion modes</li>
<li>Block process w/ DMA</li>
<li>Internal temperature sensor</li>
<li>Internal battery monitor</li>
<li>Window comparator</li>
<li>Interrupts</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;">
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/1376.ADCblog-series.png"><img src="/resized-image/__size/400x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/1376.ADCblog-series.png" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt=" "></a></p>
<p>While utilizing the flexibility means the user needs to spend time to understand the features, some features are implemented to increase ease of use so there is pay back.&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Sample modes</b></p>
<p>The different sample modes support different application needs. The ADC14 can either be triggered by the SC bit or triggered with an on chip timer. Then, pulse sample mode allows ADC14SHT bits to control the number of clocks for the sample period. Or in extended sample mode the sample time is the duration of the sample trigger (such as on chip timer) being asserted.&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Conversion modes</b></p>
<p>Four modes conversion modes are offered to allow ADC to run without user input being required between multiple conversions.</p>
<p>There are thirty-two different ADC14MCTLx registers available to program a sequence of up-to 32 channels that get converted along with each ADC14MCTLx register being able to select the input channel to convert, single-ended or differential input mode, the reference to use, REF, and if a window comparator should be used along with whether to use threshold 0 or 1. User selects which ADCMCTLx register is the last one to be converted with the ADC14EOS bit or in case of repeat sequence of channels conversions continue until ADC14ENC bit is set to 0.</p>
<p>The flexibly of configuring a conversion sequence with each ADC12MCTLx register being able to independently select the input channel and its needs is great for applications using multiple input sensors with different needs such as fitness trackers where an accelerometer needs roughly 20 samples per second per axis but a temperature sensor only needs one to two samples per second.</p>
<p>The quickness of a sequence of conversions to take multiple back to back samples, in addition to the fast sample rate of the ADC, allows some applications such as test and measurement to use ADC14 for pseudo simultaneous samples.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Turquoise-wearable.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/200x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/Turquoise-wearable.jpg" alt=" "></a><a href="/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/GasHeatMeter_5F00_I2.jpg"><img src="/resized-image/__size/350x0/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-07-62/GasHeatMeter_5F00_I2.jpg" alt=" "></a><b>&nbsp;</b></p>
<p><b>Block processing with DMA</b></p>
<p>When ADC data needs to be processed in larger blocks than the 32 memory registers allow, the user can do block processing by utilizing the DMA to transfer data from the ADC memory registers<b>. </b>Using an interrupt to signal when data needs to be transferred from the ADC memory registers ADC14MEMx, the interrupt routine can request the DMA to transfer that data. Then, MCU can processor once DMA has transferred enough data.<b></b></p>
<p><b></b><b>Internal temperature sensor</b></p>
<p>Internal temperature sensor<b> </b>is available as an internal input to the ADC for user convenience.</p>
<p><b>Internal battery monitor</b></p>
<p>Internal battery monitor<b> </b>is available as an internal input to the ADC for user convenience. It can be setup with the window comparator to use an interrupt to alert when the battery reaches a certain threshold. Thus, no processor bandwidth needs to be used to constantly check the battery voltage of the ADC converted value.</p>
<p><b>Window comparator</b></p>
<p>A window comparator for low power monitoring of input signals of conversion-result registers is available. If window comparator is enabled in the ADC14MCTLx register, it checks for the converted result, which can be above ADC14HI, below ADC14LO, or within the two user programmed threshold and sets the corresponding interrupts. There are two sets of ADC14HI and ADC14LO registers to allow for different sets of thresholds for the different channels. The window comparator is a great way to be notified when the signal is in a range you care about and then adjust frequency and/or resolution of measurement to save power.</p>
<p>For example, for sound detection, such as glass breaking, ADC14 could be in 8-bit mode with window comparator looking for it to cross over a threshold to signal if a sound is made. When that happens, the ADC could switch to a higher resolution mode to do processing on that sound signal to determine if it was glass break. This application level partitioning of ADC performance needs is used to minimize energy used.</p>
<p><b>Interrupts</b></p>
<p>Each ADC14MEMx register has its own<b> </b>interrupt<b> </b>which along with the four conversion modes gives the user flexibility to not have to constantly monitor the ADC waiting for the converted result. The window comparator interrupts also offer the ability to monitor the value of the conversion register and then react when it gets in the desired range.</p>
<p>To get started, order our easy-to-use <a href="http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-exp432p401r">MSP432 MCU LaunchPad&trade; development kit</a>.</p>
<p>If leveraging the 14-bit ADCs flexibility to optimize the power for your application is interesting &ndash; stay tuned for the next blog in this series where I will discuss low-power for ADC14 on MSP432 MCU!</p>
<p><strong>Keep reading! Check out the rest of the posts in this series about &nbsp;integrated 14-bit ADC:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/analogwire/archive/2016/04/28/the-secret-of-using-noise-to-improve-your-adc-performance">The secret of using noise to improve your ADC&rsquo;s performance</a></li>
<li><a href="/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/05/10/how-to-leverage-the-flexibility-of-an-integrated-adc-in-an-mcu-for-your-design-to-outshine-your-competitor-part-1">How to leverage the flexibility of an integrated ADC in an MCU for your design to outshine your competitor</a>&nbsp;&ndash; part 1</li>
<li><a href="http://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/msp430blog/archive/2016/06/06/top-12-ways-to-achieve-low-power-using-the-features-of-an-integrated-adc">Top 12 ways to achieve low power using the features of an integrated ADC</a></li>
</ul>
<p><b>Additional resources</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Read the MSP432 MCU TRM for more details on all the ADC14 features: <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/pdf/SLAU356">SLAU356</a>.</li>
<li>Learn more about <a href="http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32-bit/msp/low_power_performance/msp432p4x/overview.page">MSP432 MCUs</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding:0;margin:0;"><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://e2e.ti.com/aggbug?PostID=668688&AppID=762&AppType=Weblog&ContentType=0" width="1" height="1">microcontrollerADC blog seriesmsp432MSP432P401R